Retention and Earnings of Provincial Nominees Manish Pandey and James Townsend
Acknowledgements We would like to thank: The Prairie Metropolis Centre for generous financial support. Michael Wendt of Statistics Canada.
The Provincial Nominee Programs Programs were the result of a series of agreements between individual provinces and the federal government. Provinces are permitted a direct role in selecting immigrants. The program was limited in scope initially, but has grown rapidly. Some provinces (Manitoba & B.C.) also opted to take over provision of settlement services.
Goals of the Nominee programs Included: Sharing the benefits of immigration more equitably between the various parts of Canada (recent immigrants were disproportionately settling in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal). Allowing provinces to recruit immigrants to meet local labour market needs. For example, Manitoba wanted skilled tradespeople that did not qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program.
Objectives Using the IMDB, a data set which merges landing documents with subsequent tax records to answer two questions: Do Nominees remain in the province through which they obtain permanent residence status? t How have the labour market outcomes of Nominees compared to those of economic immigrants arriving through the federal economic program?
Retention Compared to Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, prior to 1999, smaller provinces had difficulty in retaining immigrants. How did retention rates of Nominees compare to Federal Economic Immigrants, especially in small provinces. What fraction of immigrants in each category filed taxes in subsequent years in the province they were destined for originally?
Characteristics of Nominees Nominees as a group were different from Federal Economic Class immigrants: Less likely to have a university degree. Less likely to have knowledge of an official language (especially in the early years of the programs).
Earnings Indirect way of assessing whether Nominees were successfully addressing labour market needs. How have Nominees compared to observationally equivalent immigrants coming to the same province through the federal program? If Nominees have higher earnings this may suggest tbetter matching.
Results: Retention 87 87 87 ion Rate 60 80 62 70 67 0 1-Yea ar Retenti 20 40 SK & Altantic Manitoba BC, AB & ON ECI PNP
Earnings How do earnings of observationally equivalent Nominees and Federal Economic Immigrants compare in the first full tax year after arrival (entry earnings)? compare in terms of subsequent growth?
Manitoba: Earnings vs. Years Since Landing (Relative e to ECIs one year after landing).8 Diploma.8 University 0 0 Difference.2.2 e in Mean Lo.4.4 og Earnings.6.6 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing ECI Nominee ECI Nominee
Small Provinces: Earnings vs. Years Since Landing (Relative eat e to ECIs one year after landing) Diploma University 0 0 Difference in Mean Log Earnings.5 1.5 1 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing ECI Nominee ECI Nominee
Other Provinces: Earnings vs. Years Since Landing (Relative eat e to ECIs one year after landing) 1 Diploma 1 in Mean Lo og Earnings.4.6.8 Difference.2.8.4.6.2 University 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing 1 2 3 4 5 Year since landing ECI Nominee ECI Nominee
Conclusions After adjusting for differences in educational, earnings of Nominees were at least as good as federal economic class immigrants in all 3 regions. Largest difference in AB, BC & ON. PNP was primarily employer directed successful applicants either already held jobs as TFWs or had a job offer. Retention rates of Nominees in MB were much higher than federal immigants.
Why were Manitoba retention rates higher h than other small provinces? Possible explanations: Manitoba had a relatively large immigrant population, which was directly involved in recruiting and integrating Nominees. Manitoba assumed responsibility for settlement services; innovative programs developed d in connection with existing communities.
Limitations of Tax Data Difficult to determine family characteristics from the IMDB. We only look at principal applicants Cannot track subsequent emigration from Canada many immigrants leave within one year of obtaining permanent residence. Limited information on jobs cannot compare actually occupation with intended d occupation at time of landing. No information on schooling or other training that occurs after arriving. Tax data added with a lag can only look at outcomes between 1999 and 2007.
Limitations of Study Difficult to talk about an overall program effect Programs have been continuously changing. Example: Prior to 2004, Manitoba based admission i on high h demand d occupation list. In 2004, moved to a human capital based model that emphasized labour market adaptability and employability. New streams are continuously being created. In 2010, there were over 60 different streams in the Nominee programs of the various provinces and territories.